Many electronic devices include one or more input devices for receiving user inputs. Devices such as smart telephones, tablet computing devices, laptop computers, wearable communication and health devices, and navigation devices, and displays can include, or be connected to, an input device. For example, an input device can provide information to a computing system regarding user interaction with a graphical user interface (GUI), such as selecting elements, returning to a home page, and other GUI features. In another example, an input device can capture or receive biometric data associated with a user and provide such biometric data to a computing system.
Generally, operation of an input device is binary. A key of a keyboard, for example, is either pressed sufficiently to collapse a dome switch and generate an output signal, or it is not. An input button is either pressed sufficiently to close a switch and select an icon, or it is not.
Binary inputs are inherently limited insofar as they can only occupy two states (present or absent, on or off, and so on). In some situations, it may be advantageous to also detect and measure the force of an input that is applied to an input device. In addition, when force is measured across a continuum of values, the detected force can function as a non-binary input.